


Our Fire Died Last Winter But Now A Candle Burns Again

by FlowersAndNoseScrunches



Series: All Of Time And Space, And I Run Into My Wife [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 21:12:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17649944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlowersAndNoseScrunches/pseuds/FlowersAndNoseScrunches
Summary: After Darillium River happens to stumble upon a Tardis, and inside she finds the Doctor and her fam.





	Our Fire Died Last Winter But Now A Candle Burns Again

**Author's Note:**

> first of all the title is inspired by dodie’s song “arms unfolding” because i had a hard time coming up with one, and dodie’s songs are great. secondly, im actually posting something??? what?? in total i’ve written more than 17 000 words of dw fanfiction at this point, but i haven’t posted anything, so it’s about time really. it’s not what im most proud of and i feel it’s a bit awkward in places, but you have to start with something, right? also i don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine and feel free to point them out lol

 

Foot only a millisecond from stamping down on the next dried out tuft of grass, River froze. Right in the corner of her eye a familiar blue glimpsed at her.  A blue suspiciously reminiscent of a certain box. Her eyes swept the scene again. There, between those trees! Under the only two plants on this planet that were still green, (or any colour but a dry orange) her husband had parked. But how could the Tardis be here? How could _he_ be here? To be perfectly honest, River didn’t really care. It had been so long since she’d last seen the Doctor, when he had taken her to the singing towers of Darillium. That had been quite the night, alright. You can get up to a lot of things in almost two and a half decades, and most of those, they had. However, River occasionally stumbled upon things that reminded her of her husband, or rather: what should remind her of him. Small things they were supposed to do together. A dress she wanted to wear to a date, a story she wanted to share, or a place they should’ve visited.

 

Before taking off to see him once again, she grinned slightly. The silhouette of the Tardis grew as she sprinted towards it. Just like in the past, when they would run from whatever the universe had decided to throw at them. Almost always towards the Tardis, but always together. She nearly blasted through the doors, but slowed down enough to stop instead. She might be more accustomed to falling into it, but she’d be damned if she didn’t make even walking in a spectacular entry.

 

The plate on the outside was black now, which meant she could quickly glance over her own reflection in it. Just to make sure she was still looking as fantastic as usual. River pushed the door open. The inside of the Tardis astonished and slightly confused her, it was very different from the other times she’d been there. Now it was less metallic and lit up by giant, chunky crystals, right by the console. Apparently, he’d redecorated inside too. Agustofhot air prompted her to take a few more steps inside. A group of three people sat on the floor, but none of them were her husband. They were eating something, was it custard creams? River strolled over to them and stroked the console to greet the ship, and eyed the humans to greet the group. The Tardis whirred and hummed, but the humans didn’t say a thing. An older man with grey hair and a clothing style way too normal for the Doctor ogled at her, and a couple of younger humans, closer to the usual companion age, frowned, one still holding a biscuit right in front of his mouth. River smirked.

“You lot haven’t seen my husband, have you?” None of them even squinted. She raised her eyebrows. “Always running around with that screwdriver of his, thinks he’s  _really_ clever… You can’t possibly miss him.”

* * *

  

A spark flew between the disassembled toaster and the Tardis, while another landed her hair. The Doctor jumped back, retreating before a tiny explosion scattered the new bolts, nails, and wires all around her.

 

“Oh no…” she muttered, “This is no good.” It wouldn’t let her do anything, and she had no idea why. After a couple more minutes of muffled complaints and no answer, the Doctor grabbed her coat and screwdriver. If she returned to the control room, she might be able to figure out what was wrong there. Not that she hadn’t tried that already, right after they materialised up here, and she couldn’t leave. Well, right after she had strutted out, recognised the planet, walked into a force field, and then tried to go to the first colony on the moon. _Tried_ being the key word, since they were still stuck here. Maybe the Tardis was just in a mood, and if the Doctor left her alone for a bit, she’d cool down. Although the planet they were on probably wasn’t the best choice if she wanted to literally cool down. It was currently being evacuated because of the draught, and if she remembered correctly, a massive fire was about to break out. She wandered back through the corridors, stopping right outside the control room when a familiar voice floated through the air to her.

 

“…thinks he’s  _really_ clever, you can’t possibly miss him.” The Doctor swallowed, this wasn’t possible. It must be a recording, a hologram, or just a memory ghosting. Even as she told herself that, her hearts started beating faster. Hoping for everything and expecting nothing, she leapt into the control room. And there she was, leaning back at the console, arms crossed as she smirked down at the team. Her wife, River Song. The light from the crystals reflected in her eyes and gravity defying hair. Now the Doctor’s hearts must’ve stopped working completely, at least that’s how it felt. And so must her vocal chords, because when she first opened her mouth, not a sound came out.

“River?” It was hardly more than a whisper, but it was all the Doctor could muster.

* * *

 

The voice was unfamiliar, softer and lighter than she was used to. Yet, it only took for it to utter her name, and she knew it she knew it was the Doctor. Being married does that to you. (It obviously helped that her husband was the only one she’d expect to know her name, and to say it like _that_.) Slowly, she looked up towards it, and the figure of a woman. She stood frozen in the doorway, staring at River. Her insides fluttered. The Doctor’s hair was short and blonde, and right now: a total mess. She had a thin grey coat on and a navy blue shirt. The coat was lined with rainbows, and the shirt had a big rainbow stripe right over the chest. It was equal amounts adorable and ridiculous. But the most fascinating thing were her eyes. That were a lovely shade of hazel. A lovely shade of hazel, and so undoubtedly the Doctor’s. Their eyes were deadlocked, both unable to break eye contact.

* * *

 

Graham, Yaz, and Ryan were perplexed by the stranger. At first only by her strange behaviour, but later by the Doctor’s reaction to seeing her. Who was this woman? What was going on? Why wasn't the Doctor bouncing around as usual? Seeing the Doctor’s facial expression: pain, love, and disbelief, Graham thought he understood. When Ryan opened his mouth, he pushed a finger to his lips, begging him to be quiet,

* * *

 

It really was. It truly was River, wasn’t it? The Doctor regained control over her body and slowly walked over to River, who was staring at her. The Doctor supposed she was staring too. When they were close, but not close enough for them to touch, she stopped. Reaching a hand out, the tip of her fingers touched River’s cheek. Her skin felt exactly the same as she remembered. Her hand fell down a bit as she gazed deep into her wife’s eyes.

 

“Hello Sweetie,” River said softly, smiling down at her. Her hand landed on River’sneck. Those two words caused her to lean in, mouth slightly open. River’s lips met hers and sent a wave of shock through her entire being. How could she have forgotten what this felt like, how could she ever have let this go? They parted and the Doctor grinned at her wife.

“Hello Sweetie,” she answered River’s greeting. The kiss had brought her back to reality. Or at least a tiny nudge closer. Close enough to allow her to move normally again, and she took River into her arms. Rest her head in River’shair. It smelled of coconut and time travel, and the Doctor couldn’t get enough. River had her arms around her waist. She never wanted her to let go.

“When are you?” She whispered, knowing she had to ask, but also knowing that she wouldn’t like the answer, no matter what it was.

“I’ve just been to Darillium, love.” The Doctor hadn’t been aware of it, but she’d dared to hope. Dared to think that maybe, just maybe, River had found a way out of the library. “What about you? It’s late, I suppose. With the face and all.”

“Darillium.” She took a deep breath. “But I thought I’d never see you again, I thought that was the last.” Her eyes started filling with tears, but she didn’t look away, not this time. Not after all those years they had spent together on Darillium. “The last time I’d see you. Ever.” River raised her hand and wiped a tear off the Doctor’s cheek.

“Oh, sweetie. We both did.” River cupped her cheek and dragged her into a heartfelt kiss.

 

“Right then.” The Doctor turned to her friends. “Meet my wife, professor River Song.” They probably would’ve been more stunned if they hadn’t just witnessed a very intense hello between the two.

“You have a wife!” Ryan said, eyebrows up in his hairline. Next to her, River smirked.

“Oh, don’t tell me she never talks about me,” she said, making the Doctor feel a bit guilty. The team glanced at each other and the Doctor, unsure of what to say. She didn’t talk about River much, not because she didn’t want to, but because it was too painful. If she mentioned the fact that she had a wife they would never stop bombarding her with questions, and telling the whole story hurt too much. She turned to her wife.

“River, I…” But she didn’t know what to say. That was very new.

* * *

 

River looked at the Doctor. She was so different this time around, heart on her sleeve, every emotion laid out like an open book for River to read. The Doctor didn’t like goodbyes, and talking about her must feel like one.

“Hey, Sweetie. It’s okay.” River pressed the Doctor’s hand in hers. “Besides, it’s not like I mention you to everyone I meet. Honestly, my other spouses would all be  _so_ jealous.” The Doctor frowned at her, probably at the mention of her other marriages.

 “I still can’t believe you married that Hydroflax,” she whined, but with a small smile on her lips.

“Married the diamond, Sweetie. Married the diamond,” she smiled fondly as she looked over at the Doctor’s new companions. “Honestly, can you believe her? I marry one, _ONE_ cyborg king who tries to kill us, and I don’t hear the end of it for decades!” None of them seemed to really keep up with her, so she looked back at the Doctor.

“These ones new, love?”

“Uh yeah, guess so,” she stared intensely at River, eyes somewhere between glimmering with love and glistening with tears. After a few moments of silence, she spoke again, without taking her eyes off her. “River, this is Graham,” she pointed to the man with the taste of style that was much better than the Doctor’s, “Ryan,” the other man, very young and very handsome. She paused, and pointed to the last companion, a young woman. Dark hair put up in space buns, and delightful eyebrows, “and Yaz.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” River nodded at them. Then she turned to her wife. “You really do always bring pretty earth girls with you everywhere you go. No matter the regeneration.” She knowingly raised her eyebrows at the Doctor, who still looked right at her.

“Oi!” River was sure the Doctor had meant it to come out in a less heartfelt, adorably soft way. “We’re friends! Yaz said she only lets her friends call her Yaz.” The Doctor stated, puffing out her chest. River chuckled and leaned in to kiss her wife’s cheek.

“I’m just kidding. Although you must admit…” When she leaned back, the Doctor’s cheeks were a shade of pink rather than pale. This regeneration only grew on her. “Oh, you are adorable!”

* * *

 

The initial shock of seeing the Doctor reunited with her wife had melted off Graham. At first he’d wondered why she’d never mentioned her, butt hen he noticed the Doctor hadn’t looked away for more than a split second since River turned up. Graham had lost his wife too: Grace. Just a couple of months ago. His pain was almost new, and he only recently felt the full blow of it. The Doctor acted as though the loss of River Song was something she’d lived with for half her life, but still, a fresh scar.

 

The Doctor was sure River had said something, but she couldn’t quite remember what it had been. It was like her brain had stopped working. That was a new feeling. With this new, peculiar experience, and suddenly craving the familiarity of River, she threw herself at her wife. Hands running through her hair. Closing her eyes, the smell that was so River embraced her once again. The warmth of their bodies pressed together, so familiar, yet so unknown for this body.

                                                   

“Wha-“ River was taken aback by her wife’s sudden attack, but she quickly figured that, in contrast to the last one, this one was more of the hugging type. She didn’t complain, though. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and comforted the Doctor, stroking her back. “Sweetie…”

* * *

 

Team Tardis awkwardly looked everywhere except the couple. Graham wanted to say something, maybe that they could go home and come back tomorrow. But then the Doctor emerged from the embrace and grinned at them.

“We were on the way somewhere, right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Yaz said, “Something about giant starfish?” The Doctor lit up, and gazed into River’s eyes.

“Er, Doc. Did you forget that we’re sort of… stuck?” Graham didn’t want to be rude, but they had been stuck for quite a while.

“If it’s the Tardis that’s fussing about nothing, then I think we’re all set.” River chuckled. “She has a mind of her own, and sometimes she’s dead set on seeing me.” She smirked. “Probably just want someone to pilot her correctly every now and then.”

“Oi, I pilot her perfectly, thank you very much.”

“Sure you do Sweetie.” The Doctor frowned, but only for a fraction of a second. Then she grinned brightly.

“So, what d’you say, love? Fancy a visit to the coolest aquarium in all of time and space?” River nodded, looking fondly at her wife.

“As long as it’s before the 67th century, I’m down.”

“Why?” The Doctor squinted, “River, what did you do?” But the only answer she got was a laugh and a mischievous sparkle in River’s eyes.

* * *

 

River was just about to step out of the Tardis when her wife slipped between her and the doors. She looked at River, scrunching her nose in the most adorable way.

“Sweetie?” River asked. The Doctor studied her every detail.

“Something’s different.”

“Well dear, you’re the one who regenerated.” She chuckled, but could tell it really bothered her wife. “You’ll figure it out.” She leaned down to kiss her. A second into the kiss, the Doctor jolted straight up, at least two feet into the air.

“ _OH!_ I know!” This Doctor sure was a change from the last one, and she certainly was a new kind of cute. “You’re taller than me now.” She pulled a face, “I’m not sure I like it…” River smiled softly and stroke her wife’s cheek, pulling her into a kiss. When they parted, the Doctor smiled sheepishly.

“On the other hand, I’m thinking I could get used to it.”

“You will, if I have anything to say about it.”

**Author's Note:**

> ok so that was it ahahh. also, i created a series because im currently writing two other space wives fics, and i have at least two more after those that i want to write, so uhh yeah.


End file.
